The PGA Tour’s FedExCup Fall swings back into action this week as the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship tees off at the Black Desert Golf Course in Ivins, Utah. After a one-week break following Xander Schauffele’s emotional victory at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan, the spotlight now shifts to the striking lava-lined fairways of Black Desert, where 132 players will vie for a $6 million purse and crucial FedExCup points from October 23 through October 26, 2025.
This marks the second straight year Black Desert hosts the championship, and anticipation is high. The Tom Weiskopf and Phil Smith-designed par-71 layout stretches a formidable 7,421 yards, featuring Bentgrass greens and fairways framed by dramatic black lava rock. It’s a test that rewards precision, especially on the putting surface—last year, Black Desert ranked among the toughest courses for putts inside 10 feet, making Strokes Gained: Putting a key statistic to watch all week long.
The stakes are massive, with players not only chasing the winner’s share of the $6 million purse but also critical FedExCup points. For many, this event is a lifeline to break into the Fall Top 100 and secure a spot in the early-season Signature Events. Defending champion Matt McCarty returns to the field, hoping to recapture the magic from his breakout win last fall—an unforgettable triumph in just his third career PGA Tour start. McCarty’s recent form has been eye-catching; at the Baycurrent Classic, he fired an 11-under 60 in the final round, carding 12 birdies and nearly breaking the elusive 59 barrier. He’ll be hoping to ride that momentum as he defends his title on familiar turf.
But McCarty faces a stacked field, including six OWGR top 50 golfers and seven 2025 Tour winners. Among the headliners are Maverick McNealy (No. 19 in the world), Alex Noren (No. 17), Jason Day, Kurt Kitayama, Michael Thorbjornsen, and the resurgent Billy Horschel. Each brings a compelling storyline into the week. McNealy, for instance, has quietly been one of the steadiest performers this fall, racking up seven Top 10 finishes this season. He finished T3 at the BMW Championship and T13 at the Procore Championship, and his elite putting (21st in SG: Putting) combined with solid driving (55th Off the Tee) make him the betting favorite. The Dimers golf model gives McNealy an 8.8% chance to win, the highest in the field, and sees strong value in his outright and placement odds at +1600 on BetRivers.
Alex Noren, meanwhile, is on a tear since returning from injury in May. The Swede has posted T7 and T3 finishes in loaded fields and clinched two DP World Tour titles late in the season. His current form, marked by consistency in every strokes-gained category, gives him a 6.3% win probability according to the Dimers model, with odds of +2000 providing a tempting proposition for bettors. Noren, currently 111th in the FedExCup standings, is extra motivated to climb into the top 100 and secure his spot in the Signature Events.
Jason Day, the veteran Aussie and former major champion, is another name to watch. Though he hasn’t played since a T23 at the BMW Championship, Day’s balanced game—ranked 61st in putting with above-average off-the-tee and iron play—could be a perfect fit for Black Desert’s penal rough and tricky greens. The model gives him a 4.8% chance to win and sees value at his +2800 odds. “If he finds his putting stroke early, Day could easily factor on the weekend,” analysts note.
South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout, pegged at +3500 to win, is a darling of the predictive models and several experts’ pick to finally break through on U.S. soil. He’s coming off consecutive Top 10s at the Sanderson Farms Championship and Baycurrent Classic and has four Top 20s in his last seven starts worldwide. Bezuidenhout’s game is built for precision—he ranks 11th in SG: Putting and 29th in Driving Accuracy, perfect for a course that demands a deft touch and positional play. “Christiaan comes into the Bank of Utah Championship after consecutive top-10 finishes… and is still looking for his first win on the PGA Tour,” as one preview put it.
Billy Horschel is another intriguing story. The 38-year-old is making just his third start after returning from hip surgery that sidelined him for most of 2025. While he struggled out of the gate at the Baycurrent Classic, a sizzling second-round 66 showed flashes of his high ceiling. Horschel, a two-time Top 10 finisher this season including a T2 at The Open Championship, is still working his way back into form but remains one of the Tour’s best putters. At +7000, he offers longshot appeal for those looking to back a player with proven pedigree and motivation to claw back into the FedExCup Top 100.
Other players to keep an eye on include Sam Ryder and Taylor Montgomery, both fighting for their PGA Tour cards. Ryder, currently 106th in the FedExCup Fall standings, comes in off back-to-back top-30 finishes and is a popular Top 20 pick at +250. Montgomery, meanwhile, is 130th in the standings but returns to Utah with fond memories—he finished tied for second at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship in August and posted a T6 at the Sanderson Farms Championship earlier this month. Both need strong weeks to secure their playing privileges for next season.
The tournament’s unique characteristics—wide fairways, but challenging greens and penal rough—should create plenty of drama. “Putting will likely define the week—while Black Desert ranked among the toughest courses for putting inside 10 feet last year, it also saw players hit the fairways, and thus the greens, with ease,” notes one analysis. Strokes Gained: Approach (long range) and Off-the-Tee accuracy will also be crucial, especially if the wind picks up in the Utah desert.
For fans and bettors alike, the Dimers model offers a range of ways to engage, from outright picks to Top 20 parlays and head-to-head matchup simulators. The model projects six golfers with at least a 40% probability to finish in the Top 20, with McNealy and Noren eclipsing the 50% mark. And with so many players fighting for their futures, every shot will matter—expect a tense, unpredictable ride all the way through Sunday’s final putt.
As the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship gets underway, all eyes are on Black Desert’s demanding greens and the star-studded field chasing FedExCup glory. With so much at stake and a host of storylines in play, this week in Ivins, Utah, promises to deliver plenty of fireworks and perhaps a few surprises before the dust settles.
